Speaking of Cadillac, I walked past an ATS the other day, and I looked at the brakes thru the alloy wheel (I always like to see if they have Brembo brakes)...I was SHOCKED to see rear DRUM brakes on the car..

While the UAW tries to get into the TN VW plant through the back door, those opposed are not sitting by quietly. They are asking those that sign some good questions.

Questions to Ask any Local 42 Member

1. Have you read your charter and understand that you have NO real rights as a Local? Are you restricted to do only what the national lets you?

2. Do you want to be laid off if we have to have a layoff, or would you rather have temps be laid off?

3. Is it true that Detroit determines where Local 42 dues go for political purposes?

4. What protections can Local 42 offer? Job security? Has that worked for Detroit?

5. Like Detroit, will Local 42 experience multiple Unfair Labor Practice Charges because of favoritism?

6. Who will hold Local 42 leadership accountable for their decisions?

7. How will overtime be distributed among employees?

8. How will Local 42 help VW Chattanooga reduce costs?

9. How will Local 42 help VW Chattanooga improve quality?

10. How will Local 42 help VW Chattanooga improve efficiency?

11. How will non union employees be fairly represented on the works council?

12. How will Local 42 ensure privacy of employees when represented by their union at a performance or disciplinary meeting in HR?

13. Will Local 42 vote on what responsibilities can be delegated to the works council, and will non union people be a part of that vote?

14. Does Local 42 plan to allow non union members to have a vote in works council related issues, events, plan and activities?

15. If yes, how does local 42 plan to integrate their vision of works council with the vision of employees not represented by the union, or not members of the union?

16. Since the UAW has stated that they do not intend to unionize the salaried workforce, how will they legally ensure the voice of the salary workers are heard in the works council?

17. Do you understand that if the UAW takes you out on a sympathy/support strike, you will not get “strike benefits” unless you walk the picket line? Can you afford to live on $200 a week, for as long as Ford, GM or Chrysler might go out on strike next year?

18. Since Local 42 has a no-strike clause, why will part of your dues go to a strike fund?

19. Is it true that showing interest in another union disqualifies you from a leadership position in Local 42?

Will the 2017 Jeep Wrangler be built in China? Someone working UAW in that factory says Union dropping their tentative fight over two tier until 2019.

"Today I cannot describe the shock and disappointment we had when we heard that in Paris that he made a comment that the next generation of Wrangler coming out in 2018 may not be built in Toledo,” Mr. Baumhower said. “He didn’t say it wouldn’t be, but he said there’s a chance that they may have to build it somewhere else because they’re going to go to an aluminum body.

“I don't care if they make it out of aluminium, if they make it out of steel. Whatever they want to make it out of, it’s got to be made in Toledo, Ohio,” he said. “We’ve earned that. We’re going to demand that. We expect nothing less than that."

With younger, lesser-paid workers representing a bigger chunk of UAW membership than in 2011, the union will need to have their support to ratify contracts. That's why the UAW will need to win benefits for both new and older workers.

And because of "right-to-work" laws, Michigan workers will be able to opt out of the union if they don't like it. "We haven't been in this situation," Dziczek said. "We don't know how it will play out."

It's going to be a balancing act, Dziczek said. "I don't think they can get rid of second tier, but I think they can get darn closer." She said the UAW might be able to win a phase-out of the two-tier contract in the next negotiations in 2019.

"(Reuters) - The United Auto Workers hopes to be recognized as the exclusive bargaining agent for workers at a Volkswagen AG assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee within a year, the union's President Dennis Williams said on Wednesday.

UAW Local 42 in Chattanooga earlier this month elected officers and it will be those officers who will liaise with VW plant officials about recognition, Williams said."

"(Reuters) - The United Auto Workers hopes to be recognized as the exclusive bargaining agent for workers at a Volkswagen AG assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee within a year, the union's President Dennis Williams said on Wednesday.

UAW Local 42 in Chattanooga earlier this month elected officers and it will be those officers who will liaise with VW plant officials about recognition, Williams said."

I don't think the people of TN are that stupid. When they see the goofy two tier system still in place in 2015. What would it gain the VW workers. They already have a 401K which is all the UAW will have for all new workers since the bankruptcy. All the UAW is looking for is more dues to waste.

11 Reasons Why We Demand a Secret Ballot Vote1. We were told Volkswagen wanted us to sign a card. (I heard this personally at a UAW meeting)2. IGMetall Told us to sign a card. Link3. We were told by the UAW that they were just gauging interest and it wasn’t an official campaign. Link 4. Some were cornered and TOLD to sign the cards. Proof of this exists.5. Some cards were signed for people.6. Many signed because they were constantly pressured by other employees and Team Leaders. After almost two years who wouldn’t give in?7. We were told it was for the works council and not the UAW.8. We were told “No UAW, No Works Council. Link Then we were told we didn’t need the UAW for a works council. Link 9. We were told “No works Council, No VW expansion”. Link 10. Aerotek workers were promised employment if they signed a card. Once they were hired by Volkswagen their cards counted.11. The UAW has promised more money and better benefits. This is very illegal, but very persuasive.

"The United Auto Workers union has seen no impact from the recent right-to-work laws that went on the books in Michigan, the organization’s home turf and one of its largest geographic footprints due to auto-industry representation, union President Dennis Williams said.

MADISON, Wis. — While big labor and the politicians who love their money paint doomsday scenarios should Wisconsin become the nation’s 25th right-to-work state, at least one top national union leader says there is little harm in giving workers the right to choose.

Gary Casteel, secretary-treasurer of the United Auto Workers, said he prefers organizing in a right-to-work environment.

“This is something I’ve never understood, that people think right to work hurts unions,” Casteel said in February, according to a July 1 piece in the Washington Post.

"United Auto Workers President Dennis Williams said on Monday the current two-tier wage scale for auto workers is unacceptable, and the roughly $19.50 an hour wage new hires earn should be a “good starting point” for negotiations with Detroit auto makers next year.

It is the fundamental belief of the union that people doing the same job should get paid the same wage."

"United Auto Workers President Dennis Williams said on Monday the current two-tier wage scale for auto workers is unacceptable, and the roughly $19.50 an hour wage new hires earn should be a “good starting point” for negotiations with Detroit auto makers next year.

It is the fundamental belief of the union that people doing the same job should get paid the same wage."

He is absolutely right. However there needs to be compromise. The D3 are not going to roll over and raise the bottom tier up to the top level. Williams knows it and told his people it will be 2019 before they can get parity in the ranks. I think that is optimistic. They are waiting for the top tier to die off or retire.

“The more difficult issue is going to be the Tier 2,” said Art Schwartz, a professor of labor relations at Wayne State University and a former general director of labor relations for GM. “How much of the gap are you going to bridge?”

Schwartz said raises for Tier 1 workers shouldn’t be as difficult as significantly bridging the gap between the two tiers. He said it’s “doubtful” the union will be able to eliminate the two-tier system in 2015 negotiations.

UAW hourly members surveyed by The Detroit News said getting rid of the system is a top concern.

This UAW local has gotten rid of the two tier. But they are not paying near what the D3 are paying their top people. Time for a reality check at the D3 plants paying near $30 per hour.

Hammond, IN – All workers at Lear Corp.’s plant in Hammond, Ind. will earn more than $21 an hour by the end of a new four-year contract ratified Sunday evening—a week after a one-day strike shuttered the plant.

The contract abolishes the unfair system that locked hundreds of workers into fast-food-like wages, paving the way for all workers in the plant to enter the middle class. Under the deal, wages will start at $16.50 and rise to $21.58 by the end of the agreement, establishing a new industry standard for seating workers across the country. Wages for some workers will rise more than 60%.

UAW has an uphill battle in the Southern auto factories. Is their effort forcing the companies to use more contract temps???

Since then, Williams says Nissan has made it more difficult with its heavy use of temporary workers.

“They’re in constant fear of losing their jobs. They’re in constant fear of talking about organizing. The way the Labor Act is set up, it’s virtually almost impossible to organize temporary workers in a workplace, even though they are permanent because they are employed by another employers,” Williams said. “It’s a shell game.”

A rival labor group to the United Auto Workers at Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant said Saturday it expects to have signed up at least 15 percent, and perhaps as many as 30 percent, of the workforce as members by late January.

Mark my word, it may take awhile, but if the multi-millionaire executives keep crapping on workers and the economy continues to improve, unions may well come back and bite them. It all goes in cycles and the federal reserve has been unusually good to these CEO's for quite a bit now. I know, the world labor market changes everything, but not always. Long distance can cause a lot of inefficiencies, and communication and marketplace screw-ups. Talk to some managers about consequences from having engineering or IT in places like India. Same goes for customer service feedback that can help or hurt a product line or service. I believe someone once said "all business is local" and in the long run that is probably true whether the US marketplace or somewhere else like in China's.

Sweetheart deal? Unions allowed to cut retiree benefits rather than fix underfunded pensions. But when it comes to standing by the obligation unions made to provide pensions to retirees, UFCW pleaded poverty in persuading Congress to let chronically underfunded union pension plans cut the benefits of workers, including those already retired.

This is a GREAT read about the historic struggles between the unions and the D3 in the early 2000s--it covers both union and management blunders and focuses upon some of the more notorious (and commendable) players on both sides. Highly recommended!

Sweetheart deal? Unions allowed to cut retiree benefits rather than fix underfunded pensions. But when it comes to standing by the obligation unions made to provide pensions to retirees, UFCW pleaded poverty in persuading Congress to let chronically underfunded union pension plans cut the benefits of workers, including those already retired.

gagrice - this is what I hope Boeing does not do. Yikes! If Boeing has the control over the funds and IAM/SPEEA have fought to get the pension funding, it should take something catastrophic like Boeing bankruptcy to halt pension payouts to retirees. Otherwise that's not right, turning the other way from their promises made.

The article posted by gagrice notes that this affects "multi-company" pensions administered by the union. So pensions that are distinct by company are not affected. Plans wanting to cut benefits have to be in critical danger of becoming insolvent in the next 10 years, Lastly, those plans are required to make increased payments to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation from $12 per capita to $26 per capita.

Let's keep in mind that this provision was added to the spending bill that if vetoed by the President would have shut down the government again.

ROBR, is correct it is for multiemployer defined pensions that are administered by the Unions. I know the Teamsters president was fuming about it to the rank and file. Truth is the Central states Teamster pension fund is in dire straits and the trustees pushed for the amendment. Along with other Unions mentioned in the articles. Another interesting amendment was the extension of hours truck drivers can be on the road from 70 to 82 hours per week. Hoffa was real upset with that bit in the bill. I don't think Obama would have vetoed the bill for anything. He is too busy vacationing and golfing to be concerned about the country.

Going to be interesting to see what happens with the numbers as the UAW renegotiates with the automakers.

I don't think the rank and file of the UAW are going to be happy with what the Union gets for them this year. The members want to end the two tier wage scale and rightly so. That is a horrible contract they have now. They want the pension plan the old timers have, which they are not likely to ever get. There is no way you can pay one person $30 per hour and someone doing the same job $18 per hour year after year and not have labor problems. The UAW needs to cut the long time employees down and raise the new employees up to meet them. Having a progression is fine over 4-6 years. When you know you are never going to make as much as some old broken down dude, it makes for bad employee relations.

I dunno, if I'm one of the new guys and I no longer have to belong to the union to work (per state law), why would I? Sounds like a good way to lose the new workers from the union.

That is exactly what I see happening if they do not get parity. Tell the Union boss I will start paying dues when I make the big bucks. Taft Hartley is the Federal RTW law since 1948. Many Federal employees get all the benefits without the dues.